Day 28: Busy, busy bees

Queen Bee is a fun little game with a great purpose. The basic concept is that it’s almost always easier to ask for help for other people than for yourself.

It’s a networking game for which you need a large group of people to play. You divide up into small groups of (usually) four or five, and take turns for one person to be the ‘Queen Bee’. They send out their worker bees to buzz around all the other people and find the nectar that the Queen Bee desires. So you might ask for podcast recommendations, or connections with the theatrical industry, and then the worker bees go out an find it from the rest of the crowd.

What’s the core of the game? Firstly, that it’s fun to have a purpose when talking to people, an easy way to introduce yourself, and to feel like you’re helping. By knowing what you’re looking for, you get a great sense of satisfaction when someone turns out to have the information you need! No joy? Then just tick them off your mental list and move on, no harm, no foul.

Not only do you come away with something that really helps you to move forward, but also with a warm glow that you’ve been instrumental in helping others. All quickly, easily, and without fuss.

I had the chance to play a couple of rounds at Escape the City – a great little organisation helping people to do more meaningful work. Even more reason to feel great helping people to move forward with their own ventures!

The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity. – Keith Ferrazzi